FAMILY BA RTONELLACEAE 



1101 



frequently beaded (Strong et al., loc. cit., 1913), without a distinct differentiation of 

 nucleus and cytoplasm. In the tissues they are situated within the cytoplasm of 

 endothelial cells as isolated elements and grouped in rounded masses. These para- 

 sites occur spontaneously in man and in arthropod vectors, are endowed with inde- 

 pendent motility, reproduce by binary fission, and may be cultivated by unlimited 

 serial transfers on cell-free media. One species has been recognized. It is known 

 to be established only on the South American continent and perhaps in Central 

 America. Human bartonellosis may be manifested clinically by one of the two syn- 

 dromes constituting Carrion's disease (Oroya fever or verruga peruana) or as an 

 asymptomatic infection (definition by Strong, Tyzzer and Sellards emend. Tyzzer 

 and Weinman (in Weinman, Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, N.S., 33, pt. 3, 1944, 

 246). 



The tj'pe species is Bartonella bacillijormis (Strong et al.) Strong et al. 



1. Bartonella bacilliformis (Strong, 

 Tyzzer, Brues, Sellards and Gastiaburu) 

 Strong, Tyzzer and Sellards. {Bartonia 

 bacilliformis Strong et al.. Jour. Amer. 

 Med. Assoc, 61, 1913, 1715; Bartonella 

 hacillijormis Strong, Tyzzer and Sellards, 

 Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 64, 1915, 808; 

 eynend. Tyzzer and Weinman, Amer. 

 Jour. Hyg. 30(B), 1939, 143; also see 

 Weinman, Trans. Amer. Philosoph. Soc, 

 X.S., 33, pt. 3, 1944, 246. Partial or com- 

 plete synonyms: Bartonella cocoide (sic) 

 Hercelles, Ann. de Fac de Med., Lima, 

 9, 1926, 231; Bartonella peruviana Esco- 

 mel, Bull. Soc path. Exot.. 22, 1929, 354; 

 Eperthyrozoon noguchii Lwoff and 

 Vaucel, Compt. rend. Soc Biol., Paris, 

 103, 1930, 975.) From Latin bacillus, 

 rod and forma, shape. 



Small, pleomorphic organisms, show- 

 ing greatest morphological range in the 

 blood of man, appearing as red-violet 

 rods or coccoids situated on the red cells, 

 when stained with Giemsa's stain. Ba- 

 cilliform bodies are the most typical, 

 measuring 0.25 to 0.5 by 1 to 3 microns. 

 Often curved and maj' show polar en- 

 largement and granules at one or both 

 ends. Rounded organisms measure 

 about 0.75 micron in diameter and a ring- 

 like variety is sometimes abundant. On 

 semi-solid media a mixture of rods and 

 granules appear. The organisms may 

 occur singly or in large and small, ir- 

 regular dense collections, measuring up 

 to 25 microns or more in length. Puncti- 



form, spindle-shaped and ellipsoial forms 

 of the organism occur, varying in size 

 from 0.2 to 0.5 by 0.3 to 3 microns. 



Gram-negative and non-acid-fast. 

 Stain poorly or not at all with the usual 

 aniline dye stains, but satisfactorily with 

 Romanowsky and Giemsa stains. 



Motile in the blood and in cultures. 

 One to four unipolar flagella. 



Cultivation : Growth in semi-solid agar 

 with fresh rabbit serum and rabbit 

 hemoglobin and in semi-solid agar with 

 blood of man, horse or rabbit with or 

 without the addition of fresh tissue and 

 certain carbohydrates, in other culture 

 media containing blood, serum or plasma, 

 Hun toon's hormone agar at 20 per cent, 

 semi-solid gelatin media, blood-glucose- 

 cystine agar, chorio-allantoic fluid and 

 yolk sac of chick embryo. 



Gelatin not liquefied. 



No acid or gas n glucose, sucrose, 

 galactose, maltose, fructose, xylose, lac- 

 tose, mannose, mannitol, dulcitol, ara- 

 binose, raffinose, rhamnose, dextrin, inu- 

 lin, salicin and amygdalin. 



No action on lead acetate. 



Aerobic, obligate. 



Optimum temperature 28°C. 



Immunology : Natural immunity to 

 infection has not been demonstrated in 

 susceptible species. Acquired immunity 

 apparent both during and after the dis- 

 ease. Bartonellae from different sources 

 appear to provoke similar responses. 

 Bartonellae from Oroya fever protect 



